The woman at the centre of the sex
scandal that has brought down former New York governor Eliot
Spitzer says she does not want to be thought of "a monster".

Ashley Alexandra Dupre, a 22-year-old nightclub singer from the
Jersey Shore, has been identified by The New York Times as
"Kristen", the woman Spitzer is alleged to have met in a Washington
hotel room.

The scandal forced Spitzer to resign as governor on Wednesday,
amid threats of impeachment and media pressure over his involvement
in the scandal.

Dupre, who has not been charged, told the Times: "I
just don't want to be thought of as a monster ... this has been a
very difficult time. It is complicated."

The paper reported that Dupre was born Ashley Youmans but
changed her name.

On her MySpace page, Dupre paints her early family life as one
filled with difficulties. She survived because of her devotion to
music, she says.

"When I was 17, I left home. It was my decision and Ive never
looked back. Left my hometown. Left a broken family. Left abuse.
Left an older brother who had already split.

"Left and learned what it was like to have everything, and lose
it, again and again. Learned what it was like to wake up one day
and have the people you care about most gone.

"I have been alone. I have abused drugs. I have been broke and
homeless.
"But, I survived, on my own. I am here, in NY because of my
music."

Dupre, who moved to New York in 2004, lists Celine Dion,
Frank Sinatra, Patsy Cline, Christina Aguilera and Lauryn Hill
among her musical influences.

"I am all about my music, and my music is all about me," she
wrote.
Dupre last visited her MySpace page on March 12.

Spitzer resigned from office, succumbing to threats of
impeachment and mounting media pressure over his involvement in a
career-ending prostitution scandal.

Speaking to reporters in New York, where he had been holed up
since news of his involvement with a high-end callgirl ring emerged
on Monday, an ashen-faced Spitzer said he had failed to live up to
the standards expected of public officials.

"Over the course of my public life I have insisted, I believe
correctly, that people, regardless of their position or power, take
responsibility for their conduct," Spitzer, flanked by his wife,
told reporters.

"I can and will ask no less of myself. For his reason I am
resigning from the office of governor," Spitzer said.

"I cannot allow my private failings to disrupt the people's
work."

Spitzer, the one-time "Sheriff of Wall Street", would on Monday
formally hand over to Lieutenant Governor David Paterson, who would
become the state's first black governor and the first blind
governor in US history.

Considered more liberal and accommodating than his pugnacious
former boss, Patterson immediately sought to draw a line under
Spitzer's term and end the deadlock that has struck the state
assembly since Spitzer took over last year.

"It is now time for [New York State capital] Albany to get back
to work as the people of this state expect from us," the
straight-talking new governor said.

Wednesday's resignation marked a dramatic fall from grace for
Spitzer, a Hillary Clinton ally once considered presidential
material and known as "Mr Clean" for taking down organised crime
and tackling Wall Street corruption.

Republicans in the state assembly on Tuesday had given Spitzer
48 hours to quit or face impeachment proceedings, while New York
newspapers had also called for the governor, who could yet face
federal charges, to stand down.

His resignation came as further details emerged of Spitzer's use
of prostitutes, with the New York Post saying he had spent
up to $US80,000 ($86,000) on callgirls going back 10 years to his
time as New York state attorney-general.

Spitzer, a father of three, initially indicated when the news
broke on Monday that he did not intend to step down, labelling the
scandal "a private matter".

Politics, he said, was not about individuals. "It is about
ideas, the public good, and doing what is best for the state of New
York."

Appearing alongside his wife of more than 20 years, Spitzer
apologised for his behaviour but did not make any specific
admissions.

But by Wednesday, talks were already reportedly going ahead in
Albany to ensure a smooth transition to Paterson.

Spitzer, 48, had from the beginning been under pressure to step
down, first from the Republican Governors Association and later
from Republicans in the New York state assembly.

Spitzer was allegedly caught on a federal wiretap last month
arranging to meet a prostitute at a hotel in Washington, where he
was due to address the US Congress the following day.

He was believed to have used an exclusive ring known as the
"Emperor's Club VIP", which was broken up by New York authorities
last week.

Prosecutors said last week the ring employed more than 50
prostitutes who charged fees ranging from $US1000 to more than
$US5500 an hour.

According to reports, Spitzer was the "Client 9" named in a
criminal complaint filed by prosecutors last week.

The complaint suggested Client 9 had used the prostitution
ring's services before and detailed how he arranged to have a
prostitute named Kristen brought from New York to Washington.

According to the complaint, the client paid her $US4300 and left
after about two hours.

According to reports, Spitzer's bank had reported the governor
to tax authorities because he had transferred $US10,000 by breaking
it into smaller amounts, and asked the bank to remove his name from
the transactions.

Spitzer, a former New York state attorney-general, became
governor in January last year. Once named Time magazine's
Crusader of the Year, he used his inauguration address to pledge to
bring ethical government to New York.